The Rescue
by StarGirl03
Summary: Rubbish title, I know. Tessa has been ordered to stay with the Lightwoods for a month to prove that she wasn't part of her brother's plans but when things go horribly wrong, there's only the boys from the Institute to save her.
1. Chapter 1

All characters belong to Cassie Clare!

Thought I'd write a longer story this time seeing as how my others have all been short. May take a wee while to get into but bear with me.

And enjoy!

Chapter 1

_It had been a month since Nate had betrayed Tessa and the Institute. A month since Mortmain and his army had killed Thomas and Agatha. A month since he had come after her. A month since Will had spoken to her on the roof. _

Tessa sighed heavily. The past month had been terrible for her. She had barely eaten anything or spoken to anyone or slept since those terrible days and now she stood in front of the library doors waiting to be called upon by the Enclave. Jem, her ever faithful companion stood tall beside her silently.

"Tessa?" He spoke softly, yet his voice spread warmth through her as it always seemed to do. He gave her the courage to look up at him and offer him a weak smile.

"Yes?"

"You'll be fine. You have been through so much and you are such a strong person."

"Thanks Jem. I could never have coped without you." She reached over and gave his hand a small squeeze.

"Well, I best be going in then." Jem smiled at her before pushing the doors of the library open and making his way inside.

"Tess?" A voice from the shadows startled her. _Tess?_ It had been so long since he had called her that. So long since he had even spoke to her properly. Tessa turned to face him with all of her confidence.

"Yes, Will?" She replied.

"I wanted you to know Jem and I aren't there as Enclave members. We have only been allowed to attend because we could not have been stopped. We are not there to judge you. We are there for you." The openness of his small speech startled Tessa as she gazed at his perfect blue eyes. _Did he care for her?_ The thought brought a lump to her throat and she blinked back tears before she replied to him. _Do not cry Tessa! _ She told herself.

"Thank you Will. That's very kind of you." She turned back to face the door before she threw herself into his arms for comfort. As though he had read her mind Will appeared beside her and squeezed her shoulder gently.

"Tess…I will not let anything happen to you." He looked at her sideways through his beautiful long lashes and smiled lopsidedly at her.

"You won't? You know if they get rid of me you won't have to deal with me again." Tessa replied.

"Who says I don't want to deal with you?"

"You! You practically spat it at me on the roof!" Tessa felt herself on the verge of tears as she finally confronted him.

Before Will could reply the doors of the library opened and Gabriel Lightwood stood staring out at them.

"It is time Tessa." He said looking intently at her.

"Miss Gray to you!" Will snarled stepping in front of Tessa.

"Will," she hissed. "Please don't make a scene out here. Not now!" She rested a hand gently on his arm and he instantly relaxed a little. Gabriel smirked at them before turning on his heel and marching into the library.

Members of the Enclave sat around one of the huge tables waiting for Tessa. Their faces were grave and Tessa suddenly felt very small and utterly helpless. As soon as they caught sight of her, every eye in the room focused in on her. Will gave her a reassuring nod before making his way to where Jem stood at the back of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ah Tessa! Sorry to have kept you waiting." Charlotte stood up and smiled at her.

"Well now that she has finally decided to grace us with her presence. Let's get on with it!" A voice spoke harshly from somewhere behind Charlotte. Benedict Lightwood stood up and rested his hands on the table, leaning over to peer at Tessa.

"Very well," replied Charlotte as she took her seat.

And so it began.

Tessa stood while each of the Enclave members took it in turns to ask her questions and comment when she had responded.

"And you have no idea what your brother was planning?" Benedict asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"No. I came to London after my aunt died. I came to live with him but when I got here I was taken by the Dark sisters and I had not seen my brother or had contact with him until the night at DeQuincey's." Tessa replied more confidently than she felt.

"That still gave you both enough time to plan the attack on the Institute. Or maybe the plan was already in motion before you even came here." He snapped at her.

Out of the corner of her eye Tessa saw Jem stiffen as Will tensed angrily next to him.

"I did not know of any plan." Tessa replied, trying to remain calm.

"I find that hard to believe!" He snorted. With that Will removed himself from the wall and stepped forward.

"Are you accusing Tessa of something? Because if you are then be a man about it and say it!" He snapped, giving Benedict an icy stare. Benedict Lightwood looked from Tessa to Will and back again, a slow smirk passing over his face.

"You better keep your boy in line Miss Gray." He commented.

"This isn't about Will." Charlotte interrupted glaring at him.

"I think Tessa needs to prove herself to my father before we can sort this situation out," drawled Gabriel. "I say we need to keep a closer eye on her."

"And how do you suppose we do that? She lives in the Institute!" His father spat back at him.

"Why doesn't she come and stay with us for a while?" Suggested Gabriel.

Tessa's mouth fell open as she glanced around the room. Charlotte looked thunderstruck. Tessa's eyes drifted to the _parabatai _at the back of the room. Jem was frowning and Will looked absolutely horrified.

After a long pause Benedict spoke. "Stay with us for one month and we shall resume this meeting when you have convinced me that you are not a traitor."

"That is not necessary!" Charlotte replied. "Tessa had more than proved herself to us here and there is no need for her to go through any more than she should have to! She is perfectly fine here, she trusts us and we trust her!" She waved her small hands about which may have been amusing if they were not in this situation.

"She can return to you after the month if she has proved herself to me." He said coldly. "Besides, it seems that you and those in the Institute have grown quite fond of her and we cannot let your clouded judgement put us all at risk." He looked towards Will and Jem as he spoke, with Will returning his gaze with a look of pure hatred.

"By taking her from the Institute you are putting Tessa at risk!" Will stormed forward. "Who will protect her from Mortmain and Nate?" He demanded.

"There are more of us here that are available to look out for Tessa." Jem added calmly.

"I will protect her!" said Gabriel indignantly.

"Don't be stupid!" Will snorted. "How could you offer her protection from a full army and Mortmain?"

Well for starters I will not fall for any tricks that could end up getting her killed!" Gabriel sneered. No sooner had he finished speaking and Will was practically chest to chest with him, staring him down.

"Will…" Jem warned standing beside his friend.

Tessa felt helpless. All of this fighting was because of her.

"I'll go." She said, defeated.

Everyone turned to face her. Jem looked at her sympathetically while Will's face was like thunder. "If that is what you feel I must do to prove my innocence then I'll go with you."

Charlotte looked around at the other Enclave members but nobody spoke up to defend her.

"I'm so sorry Tessa!" She sighed.

"It's alright. I'd better go and pack then." Tessa turned to leave, aware of every eye in the room watching her go.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter is a lot shorter but I wanted to get a bit more action into the story sooner so its a few short chapters to get into the swing of things.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

A small tap on her door brought Tessa out of her thoughts. She turned to see Jem standing in the doorway, his silver hair and eyes glinting in the moonlight from the window. He was watching her carefully.

"You don't have to go through with this," he began quietly. "I'm sure we can find a way of persuading Benedict to let you stay here."

Tessa smiled weakly at him. "Jem, I appreciate this but if this is what I need to do to prove I am innocent then so be it."

Before she knew what was happening Jem had crossed her room and was holding her tightly in his arms.

"I promise you, we will do everything we can to get you back to us soon." He murmured.

"Thanks Jem." His very presence gave Tessa warmth that she never knew she could feel. When he was with her she felt as though she had the courage to do anything.

Jem slowly separated himself from her and made his way to the door.

"I'll be downstairs when you're ready to leave." He spoke softly and smiled before exiting her room.

A while later, Tessa had packed her few belongings and was making her way down the corridor when someone grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall.

"Wha-" she began but was cut off by Will's hand across her mouth. He pressed his finger to his lips, indicating for her to be quiet as he slowly moved his hand away from her mouth.

"What do you think you're doing?" He whispered harshly. "You are putting yourself in danger which you should not be doing! If Mortmain hears that you are alive he will not hesitate to come for you!" His breath was warm on her face and he was so close that she could feel his strong heartbeat against her chest.

"Will, I have to go." She whispered back. "I'm sorry."

She tried to move away from him but he held onto her tighter.

"No you don't." He hissed. "Tess, you have no idea what will happen as soon as you leave those doors. Gabriel is a fool if he thinks that he can protect you." Tessa was trying to focus on what he was saying but the close proximity and his startling blue eyes were distracting her.

"Tess…" He repeated her nickname softly, gazing at her through his luscious eyelashes. In that moment Tessa knew what was going to happen. She had been longing for this ever since he had kissed her the first time in the attic. Will leaned forward brushing his lips against hers as though asking for permission. When she didn't object he pressed his warm lips against hers and kissed her gently as though he was scared of breaking her. Tessa closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of having Will's lips on her but all too soon he broke away from her, his eyes roaming her face.

"I have to go." She whispered sadly. Leaning up, she kissed him on the cheek before moving away from him and down the corridor to where the Lightwoods were gathered waiting for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was decided that Benedict and Gabriel would leave first and Tessa would follow in a second carriage, escorted by Will and Jem so as to through off any suspicion of their plan.

"Ready to go?" Gabriel asked her.

Tessa looked at him and nodded. The truth was that she was not ready to go. In fact she didn't want to leave at all but she knew she couldn't act like a child in front of everyone.

As she made her way to the doors of the Institute Charlotte rushed up to her and hugged her fiercely.

"We'll miss you while you're away!"

"I'll miss you too Charlotte." Tessa replied, holding back the tears she so desperately wanted to let flow.

Jem appeared at her side and took her case from her to take out to the carriage. "We'll make sure she gets there ok." He reassured Charlotte gently as he went to the carriage.

"Where's Will?" Charlotte asked suddenly.

"I'm right here." He stepped out of the shadows, his face stony.

"Look after her." Henry said, stepping forward to shake Tessa's hand.

"I always do." And with that he led Tessa out to the cool night air where the carriage waited.

* * *

><p>Tessa sat in the carriage between Will and Jem trying to be brave. She knew that she would feel worse once they had left her but during the journey Jem's calming presence had relaxed her a little.<p>

"Why did you agree to this?" Will suddenly blurted, breaking the silence.

"I thought that it was what would be best. I didn't see him backing down and I didn't see anyone from the Enclave defending me." Tessa replied quietly.

"After a month you will have shown Benedict what and incredible person you are and you will be allowed to return home to us." Jem smiled, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

"What…What if he doesn't think I've proved myself? What will happen then?" Tessa asked. Will's head shot up and his eyes glanced at Jem, whose smile had turned into a frown.

"It depends on what he thinks at the end of it all, I suppose." Jem replied thoughtfully.

"Lets not pretend!" Will snapped. "He will most likely order you to be thrown out to fend for yourself. He may send you back to New York if you are lucky but he will not allow us to protect you any longer. That's why your decision was foolish!"

"Will, I hardly think-" Jem began but Will's glare stopped him from saying anything else. Tessa shrank back in her seat a little, becoming more terrified the closer they came to the Lightwood's house.

* * *

><p>A short while later the carriage pulled up outside a huge house just on the outskirts of the city. They made their way to the front doors to where the carriage came to a halt.<p>

Will jumped out of the carriage and held his hand out for Tessa, but as she clambered down she noticed that he wasn't even looking at her. _Back to this again_, she thought to herself sadly.

"I can take it from here," Gabriel walked over glaring at Will.

"There's no need, I may not be a shadowhunter but I can walk myself, thank you." Tessa cut in before Will had time to make any snide comments. Gabriel looked taken aback while Will smirked at him.

"She's a feisty one Gabe."

Gabriel huffed and stormed towards to doors after his father. "Come along Miss Grey!"

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," said Jem and before she could stop herself, Tessa wrapped her arms round him and hugged him fiercely.

"Thank you for everything," she murmured into his chest as he stroked her hair soothingly. "Thanks to both of you," she added as she reluctantly let go of Jem to face Will. She thought she noticed something flash in his eyes but as always his mask was on and his walls were up.

"Yes well, I am a hero; I will not attempt to deny that." Will replied, ignoring Jem as he rolled his eyes. Tessa stepped forward to give Will a hug goodbye too but she noticed that his hand was outstretched to shake her hand. She shook his hand in return but she could not look at his for fear of breaking down in front of him.

Tessa stood on the steps and watched the carriage carry Will and Jem away from her and she felt her heart break even more when she lost sight of the carriage…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A week later…

Tessa sat on her window seat gazing out at the dreary sight of London before her. The weather had matched her mood perfectly as the gray clouds rolled overheard, causing the whole city to look miserable.

But today she was excited. Jem was visiting her in the afternoon.

Tessa had not been allowed to send any letters in case they were intercepted, but a very polite letter from Jem to Benedict meant that he would be visiting her for a few hours.

Tessa sensed that Benedict was getting tired of her already and although he interrogated her every day for hours, he seemed more and more annoyed that Tessa's answers were always the same, and always proved her innocence. After what felt like forever, he had finally replied allowing Jem a visit; on one condition…Will was not allowed to accompany him. Not that Tessa really minded after the way Will had treated her the last time, yet she couldn't help but miss him incredibly and whenever she thought of not seeing him she would slide further into her despair.

Gabriel had been nice enough to her, aside from making nasty comments about Will; she hadn't really been bothered by him. He had been spending a lot of time in the training room, obviously trying to either get away from his father or give himself an upper hand when he finally next came to blows with Will.

Tessa had not seen Gabriel's sister that Will had apparently had a fling with but from the occasional responses the maids gave her it seemed like she was in a boarding school in the North of England. _Possibly trying to keep her as far away from Will as possible_ Tessa had thought to herself. And as for Gabriel's brother, he rarely left his room and if he did it was usually in the middle of the night. _This family are really quite peculiar _Tessa pondered.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, in the distance, Tessa made out the shape of a carriage rumbling towards the house.<p>

"Jem!" she cried, gathering her skirts and dashing out of her door as she hurried to the main entrance. By the time she got there Benedict's butler, Charles, was already opening the door for a rather damp looking Jem.

"The master has business to attend to," said Charles as he took Jem's coat from him.

"That's fine; I'm really here to see someone else, thanks." Jem smiled at him, stepping forward. Tessa grinned from ear to ear as he made his way across the hall to where she stood. She could barely contain herself and before he even got to her she had ran forward and thrown her arms round him.

"Hello Tessa," he said into her hair. "How have you been?" His strong arms felt so right and in that moment Tessa didn't want to let him go. He smelled of fresh air and dampness from the world outside and she loved it.

"I'm much better now!" She smiled up at him, and when she saw the smile across his face she almost melted. Being apart for just over a week had made Tessa forget just how beautiful he actually was; his high cheekbones and those gorgeous liquid silver eyes made her heart leap. They stepped apart and Tessa began to lead him along the corridor to the main lounge.

"Everyone is missing you," he said smiling down at her.

"Ah, I very much doubt that everyone is missing me." She said quietly to him. She saw a flash of something across his face and instantly felt guilty for merely implying about Will. "I mean, I'm sure Sophie is glad of one less mouth to feed and clean up after, Jessamine probably doesn't bother until she wishes to go shopping and well, I can hardly see Henry even noticing I'm gone." She laughed slightly, relieved that she hadn't let the thought of Will darken the mood.

"Well I'm sure Sophie would rather work for you than Will or Jessamine," he laughed. "As for Jessie, it turns out she likes to shop a lot more than it seemed. I expect you will be hauled out as soon as she gets the chance. And Henry has been surprisingly alert to your absence. In fact, the other night at dinner he made a comment about it feeling empty without you!" Jem's smiled lifted Tessa's mood and made her feel like everything would be okay.

"That's very nice," Tessa felt a sudden wave of sadness when she remembered that she would not be allowed to go home with Jem when he left. "Would you mind telling…" she paused, "them all, that I miss them too?"

"Of course."

* * *

><p>They spent the day in the lounge chatting and joking until Jem sighed and looked out of the window.<p>

"There's a storm on its way," he commented. "I should maybe head back soon."

Tessa's face fell instantly, she had loved the company and now Jem was going to leave her again. Seeing her upset, Jem reached across and took one of her hands.

"You'll be home with us in no time," he reassured her stroking the back of his hand with his thumb.

"I know but I hate it here, I miss you so much!" She blurted catching him off guard. "I even miss Will…" she added quietly.

"Oh no! We must get you back to us if you are even missing Will!" He chuckled nudging her with his elbow gently as they stood up. Tessa smiled up at him. Everything felt so much better with Jem around.

They walked in silence to the door and Jem put his coat on and stepped outside. He stopped as though he had forgotten something and turned back to face her. Leaning towards her, he gave her a light kiss on the cheek and then he spoke. "He misses you too Tessa. Don't let him pretend that he doesn't. He misses you more than you realise." And with that he turned and made his way to the gates at the bottom of the garden, his voice ringing in her ears.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jem had been right.

That night a terrible storm roared above the city as Tessa sat in her bed reading a book. The thunder rumbled overhead and a flash of lightning illuminated her bedroom.

Suddenly, there was a sharp tap on her window. And then another. Before Tessa could do anything her window sprang open and a dark shape tumbled into her room, landing in a heap on the floor. Just as she was about to scream the shape on her floor uttered a string of curses in a voice that Tessa had been dreaming about for the past week.

"Will?" She gasped. "Is that you? What are you doing here?"

As he rolled onto his back Tessa noticed that he was absolutely soaked. Getting out of bed, she ran to the window and heaved it shut.

"Nice to see you too." Will muttered standing up and shaking water droplets all over her room. "Miss me?" He grinned at her.

Tessa felt the heat rising to her cheeks and quickly looked away from his face. "Not really," she replied. "In fact, I was enjoying the piece and quiet until you arrived." There was no point in lying; she knew Will could see right through it.

"Uh huh," he raised his eyebrows at her. She was glad to see him and he knew it.

"So this is your room huh?" He waved around himself dramatically. "At least you're not sleeping tied to the bed this time." He winked at her.

Tessa knew she was blushing furiously and Will smirked at her. She watched him as he strolled around her room. His black hair was dripping and it hung over his eyes so that every so often there would be the glint of his incredible blue eyes when his hair moved. He reminded her of how he looked in the attic the night they hard shared their first kiss.

"What exactly are you doing here?" Tessa asked again.

"Why, coming to see you darling Tessa." He replied. "You see, Jem has been missing you so I thought I would check up on you to see if you were alright." He smirked at her.

"Jem is missing me?" Tessa caught on to his bluff as soon as he tried to lie to her. _You miss me!_ She thought.

"Yes, and now that I have confirmed that you are alive and well I shall be heading off." He made to head back out of the window where he had come.

"Will?" Tessa's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Yes Tessa?"

"Jem was here earlier. So I highly doubt that you have travelled all this way in a storm just to confirm what he already knows." She walked towards him, feeling suddenly brave. "You miss me." She stated.

"Miss you? No." Will scoffed. "However, I did want to make sure that Gabriel was taking good care of you."

"Anything for a fight, eh?" Tessa was not convinced but decided that it didn't matter what his reasons were. Will has with her. "You can't let him find you."

"If I had the intention of wanting to be found I would have walked through the front door, not scaled the side of the building." Will smirked sitting casually on the edge of her bed. Tessa moved to sit next to him and for a few minutes they sat in silence, just with each other.

"I want to go home," Tessa sighed into the silence. Will looked at her sideways.

"New York?" He inquired.

"Well, I don't suppose I can go back there. There's nothing left for me in New York. Although I don't suppose there's anything for me here in London either." Her voice was quiet, and sad.

Will didn't say anything; instead, he shifted himself so that he was facing her. Reaching out a hand he cupped her face lightly and slowly pulled her towards him. Their lips met and he gently pressed himself against her as though he was afraid of breaking her. Tessa sank into him, she knew what would happen, she knew she would be hurt again but she could not resist him.

Finally they broke apart, both taking deep breaths.

"Tess…" Will whispered, his arms still wrapped around her waist, but he didn't get to finish what he was saying.

A sharp knock on the door made Tessa spring up from the bed and glance nervously towards the door.

"Miss Gray?" Gabriel's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Yes?" Tessa replied as Will glowered at the closed door.

"May I come in?" With that, Will jumped to his feet, his hands clenched in fists at his sides.

"I, eh, I don't know if that's such a good idea, I'm in my nightclothes. Can we talk in the morning please?"

"I won't take much of you're time, I promise."

Tessa glanced at Will and he reluctantly nodded at her as he made his way towards the window. He gave Tessa one last glance before he slipped out of her window and disappeared into the darkness.

Tessa sighed and opened the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Gabriel walked into Tessa's room and immediately began looking around her room for something.

"What are you doing?" Tessa demanded.

"I heard voices. Who were you talking to?" He paced around the room.

"I wasn't talking to anyone. I was reading aloud." Tessa indicated to the book lying on her nightstand, abandoned when Will had entered.

"I see," he muttered in response. "And why is your floor wet?" He pointed downwards to where Will had stood, dripping water onto the carpet.

"Tessa sighed. "I needed some fresh air so I opened my window. As you can see from the weather though, it is raining outside. Is that all?"

"I just wanted to see if you are settled here." Gabriel looked across the room at her. "Are you?"

"Thank you. I am quite comfortable here for now. However, I do miss the Institute." She answered him honestly.

"What is there to miss there?" Gabriel asked.

"The people." Tessa said simply, wishing that Will was still with her.

"The people?" Gabriel sneered. "William Herondale and James Carstairs you mean?" He scoffed as he spoke their names which made Tessa angry.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I have indeed been missing Will and Jem!" Tessa flushed with rage. "Jem is a perfect gentleman! A good person. You should do well to remember that!" She snapped.

"He may be, but you surely cannot say that for Will!" Gabriel laughed harshly.

"There is more to Will than meets the eye." Tessa said softly.

"What did you say?" Gabriel asked, obviously not hearing her the first time.

"Will is…" Tessa began but before she could finish, the clanging of the doorbell interrupted their conversation.

"Who on earth could that-" Gabriel's sentence was cut short by a loud explosion which shook the whole house, sending Tessa tumbling to the floor.

Tessa rolled onto her side, a pain throbbing in her head. She searched across her room and spotted Gabriel struggling to get up amongst some rubble. Her ears were ringing and she felt dizzy as she attempted to sit up.

"What was that?" Her voice sounded distant, even to her own ears. She gingerly reached her hand to her head and touched her wound. Her fingers came away red. Gabriel appeared at her side and inspected her wound.

"Herondale is going to kill me when he sees that," he muttered. Tessa would have found the inappropriate comment funny if she wasn't in so much pain.

"What was that?" She repeated.

"I don't know. Stay here! I'm going to see what's going on." He stumbled out of the door, his voice sounding far away.

Tessa pulled herself up using her bed and found that her leg had been hit with some wood during the explosion and she could barely walk. As she made her way to her bedroom door she noticed thick, black smoke billowing towards her. _Fire. The house is on fire!_ She could make out the glowing orange light as the flames licked up the walls from downstairs, casting shadows along the hallways.

* * *

><p>Will had been walking aimlessly around the city near the Lightwood's house. He hadn't gone there with the intention of kissing her. He just wanted to make sure she was being taken care of. Jem had assured him that Tessa was fine but he had needed to see her for himself. The days had been dragging on without her and although Will had tried to train himself not to think about her, he was finding it harder and harder to do so the past few days. He couldn't help himself when he saw her, he gave into his temptations and now half of him regretted it. He knew he was going to hurt her and as much as he didn't want to see her hurting, he knew he had to save her from himself.<p>

Will sighed loudly, frustrated. He kicked a large stone angrily and watched as it tumbled across the road. Then he heard it. An explosion. He whirled round to see smoke rising from the direction he had just come from. The direction of Tessa. _Tessa!_

Will sped back the way he had come, his heart hammered in his chest. The feeling of dread was rising in his stomach much like the last time he had dashed to save her. _Please let her be ok!_

By the time he reached the house smoke was billowing from every window and he could make out the brutal flames as they attacked everything they came in contact with. Without hesitating Will leapt through the flames and into the burning entrance way. Using his sleeve to cover his mouth he ran up the burning stairs calling Tessa's name and scanning everywhere for her. A small cough attracted his attention and he rushed to the body lying curled up on the floor.

"Tessa!" Will gathered her in his arms and turned back to take her down the stairs. "Tessa! It's me. Will! I've got you, you're safe now!" He shouted over the roaring flames as he burst out into the night. He gently placed her on the grass as she coughed, trying to clear her airways. Her head was bleeding and her face was covered in soot but she seemed otherwise unharmed. He was just about to gather her in his arms when she screamed his name. He turned around but something hard caught the side of his face and he fell onto the grass. He felt himself slipping into unconsciousness but before he did he heard the voice of someone he had dreaded to hear. Mortmain.

* * *

><p>"Will!" Tessa screamed.<p>

"Grab her!" Ordered Nate to two clockwork creatures. "Aw, look at your precious Will now! Now he'll never be able to save you." He held a gun above Will's still body and aimed…


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys! Hope you like the story so far (except for the last chapter of course! :-O) Sorry its taken a while to get into the action but I wanted to really get into the characters before I started with the fighting and such. This chapter is realllllly short but its kind of like a wee introduction to the next few chapters.

Anyway! Hope you like it!

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Tessa kicked and screamed until her lungs were sore and her face was streaked with tears.

"Murderer!" She wailed at her brother as he struggled to put her in a carriage.

"Shut up Tessa!" He growled at her. Once he had finally clambered into the carriage he tied Tessa's hands and feet and put a rag across her mouth to silence her. "It was his own fault anyway. Serves him right for being so arrogant."

Tessa let her tears fall freely down her face as she stared at the man she had once called brother. Looking at him now, she noticed that his hair was messy, he had black bags under his eyes and he looked exhausted. In the past she may have pitied him. But not now.

Images of Will's lifeless body flashed in her mind as she sobbed helplessly. She thought of all the things she had wanted to tell him and how she never would get the chance. She wondered if he ever really had feelings for her or if he was just using her when he felt like it. _None of that matters now!_ She thought bitterly as the carriage rumbled through the dark streets of London. She tried to look out of the window but all she saw was darkness. Sinking back into her seat, she thought about how poor Jem would feel when he found out the news of his _parabatai's_ death.

"I expect you know where we are going." Nate stated, interrupting her thoughts. Tessa glared at him, refusing to show how terrified she really felt. She had decided to make it as difficult as possible for Nate and it reminded her of Will. _W.W.W.D? What would Will do? _Tessa thought. Then it hit her. That would be what kept her going. She would be strong for him. He would save her, even when she was entirely alone. The small thought brought a little comfort to her and in her head she imagined his voice telling her to stay calm and think of a plan.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"_Will!" Tessa screamed._

"_Grab her!" Ordered Nate to two clockwork creatures. "Aw, look at your precious Will now! Now he'll never be able to save you." He held a gun above Will's still body and aimed…_

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><p>"Ugh!" Will rolled onto his back, a steady stream of blood dribbling down the side of his head. He reached up and wiped the blood away from where Nate had struck him with the handle of the gun. He knew Nate couldn't pull the trigger. <em>Coward!<em> Will thought angrily. Then again, Nate didn't really need to kill Will. He just needed to put him down long enough so that he could get Tessa away. _Tessa!_ Will sprang to his feet ignoring the dull ache on his head and hurtled towards the Institute. He had to get Jem and the others, before it was too late!

Will burst through the doors of the Institute and skidded into the dining hall where everyone was seated.

"They've taken her!" He breathed. Everybody looked up at him in astonishment. Will had been acting strange lately but even this outburst was unexpected.

"What are you talking about Will?" Charlotte asked, holding her wine glass halfway up to her mouth.

"Tessa!" He yelled. "Nate has her!" Will glanced around the room and the blank faces that were staring at him. Within a few seconds Jem was standing beside his friend peering closely at the cut on Will's head.

"Will, what happened?" He asked calmly.

"I don't have time for this! We have to go after her before they kill her!" Will turned to leave but Jem grabbed his shoulder.

"I know Will, but you need to tell us what happened. How did you hurt your head?"

Will sighed exasperatedly at them before launching into his story. They stared at him with horrified expressions as he told them everything. "I have to get her back!"

Jem looked at his friend and knew that Will was in love with Tessa. He'd always really known but the look of sheer panic on Will's face confirmed his suspicions. He nodded at Will before turning to Charlotte and Henry.

"We need to find her."

"We don't even know where to start looking for her," Charlotte said sadly.

"That's not good enough!" Will yelled, slamming his fist onto the table so hard that it splintered under his shadowhunter's strength.

"Will! Do not think that you are the only one who cares for Tessa!" Jem flared.

"No, but I am the one that should have stopped him. I was with her!" Will leaned on the table, his shoulders hunched in despair. His hair fell over his midnight blue eyes and he shook his head.

"Henry and I shall go to the Lightwood's house and see what happened. "Did Tessa tell you how the fire was started?" Charlotte asked as she rose to her feet.

Will shook his head. "She didn't have the chance to."

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><p>The Institute fell into silence as Charlotte and Henry left to investigate the fire. Will and Jem stood side by side in the library gazing into the fire. Will's head wound had been cleaned and he had on his gear ready to go as soon as Charlotte and Henry had any information that might lead to Tessa.<p>

"How long?" Jem broke the silence. The flames cast shadows over his beautiful face, making him look even more angelic.

"What?" Will's voice sounded coarse and far away to his own ears.

"How long have you loved Tessa?" Jem didn't like to ask Will about his personal life. It was like waiting for a bomb to go off. The occasional gentle probing was the only way Jem ever found out anything from Will. But tonight Will's defences were completely gone.

"Since the night I found her in the Dark Sister's house I knew she was something special. She is the most interesting and beautiful creature I've ever met. And I've let her down Jem."

Jem had never seen Will this distraught before and it scared him to see just how fragile his _parabatai_ was. Jem was used to being the fragile one, but, then he realised that although he was physically fragile, Will was psychologically fragile.

"Will, you didn't let her down. You have been there to save her three times." He said sympathetically. "Who saved her from the Dark Sisters? You. Who came back to save her from Mortmain? You. Who saved her from the burning building? You. And who will be there, leading the way, when we find out where that monster is keeping her?"

"Me." Will looked up, his hands clenched as fists at his sides in rage.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry its been a while! Had some computer troubles! :( anyway here's chapter 10! Enjoy :)

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><p>Chapter 10<p>

Nate hauled Tessa out of the carriage and dragged her up the steps leading to the building which they had stopped in front of.

"Move!" He growled, shoving her roughly through the oak doors into a dingy entrance way. Tessa stumbled forward, wincing slightly as she landed on her injured leg.

The two clockwork creatures lead Tessa and her brother up a flight of stairs and along a dark corridor until they reached a door at the far end. A thin glimmer of light could be seen in the gap between the door and the floor and Tessa noticed that as soon as Nate neared the door, he puffed his chest out and straightened his posture. _Look __at __that __smarmy __little __idiot!_ Will's voice suddenly appeared in her head. Tessa felt comforted by it and a slow smile crept across her face. _Mortmain__'__s __got __to __be __in __there __Tess. __Be __careful._ Tessa nodded to the voice as they stopped outside the door.

Nate straightened his jacket before knocking on the door.

"Enter." A voice said from within. Tessa knew who the voice belonged to. She had dreaded hearing that voice again and she couldn't help but feel her pulse racing. _Stay __calm __Tess._ Tessa closed her eyes and focused on controlling her breathing as the door sung inwards, revealing Axel Mortmain.

"Hello Tessa." He smiled and rose to his feet. "That wasn't a very nice thing you did to me at the Institute."

"So hunting me like an animal is a nice thing to do?" Tessa replied coldly, earning her a shove from Nate.

"Do not disrespect the Magister!" He snapped at her. Tessa held her ground and gave them both her best icy stare.

"Tessa, Tessa, Tessa…If only you had come with me the first time. Then you wouldn't be in this mess and your," Mortmain paused, obviously trying to think of the right word before he went on, "your _friend_ may still be alive." The words hit Tessa like a blow to the stomach but she focused on a crack in the wall behind him to stop the tears from flowing. She was not going to cry in front of him. _That__'__s __a __girl, __Tessa. __Just __breathe._

"Oh I do apologize for not wanting to play a part in whatever sick plan you have arranged."

"You have been spending time with our deceased, William, haven't you?" A knowing smile slid across Mortmain's face.

"I don't believe for one minute that you took me because you just wanted to chat about Will. So, tell me, what do you want with me?" Tessa snapped. She could feel the fear rising in her stomach and her heart was racing in her chest.

"All in good time Tessa dear. For now, you need to rest. I need your strength tomorrow." With a wave of his hand, Tessa was half dragged out of the room and along the corridor to a bare walled room. There was a small iron bed frame with a thin mattress on it and some grimy looking blankets. The clockwork creatures shoved Tessa harshly into the dingy room and shut the door behind them with a loud slam.

"I can't do this Will," Tessa whispered a few hours later into the darkness. She knew that he was not there but the thought of hearing his voice in her head made her feel slightly better. She wondered if Charlotte and Henry and Jem had been told of what happened and she pictured them mourning the loss of their dear friend and family member. _Jem __will __be __fine __Tessa. __They __will __all __be __looking __for __you __soon. __You __just __have __to __hang __on __until __then._ With Will's voice bringing her a small glimmer of hope she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

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><p>Charlotte and Henry had returned to the Institute without much luck. They had discovered that whatever caused the explosion was a form of black magic but other than that, no clue led to Tessa's whereabouts. They sat in the library peering over various maps of London and whispering to each other as Will paced backwards and forwards furiously. Suddenly, he stopped walking and tilted his head to the side, waiting. The doorbell clanged loudly and before anyone else had registered the noise, he had lunged out of the library and was dashing down the corridor to the front doors.<p>

Throwing the doors open, Will rushed out into the cool night air and stared around. There was nobody in the courtyard.

"Will?" Jem appeared at his side and gazed at him. "There's nobody here."

Suddenly Will looked down and there, on the ground, lay a white envelope addressed to _Master__William__Herondale__and__Master__James__Carstairs._ The boys looked down at it and Will knelt down to pick it up. They opened it and read together…

_By now you will have lost your precious Tessa and she will be in my possession._

_She hasn't gone through much pain, yet. But I assure you there is no point in attempting a rescue. This is not a simple matter of killing a demon. She will be dead before you reach her._

_James, I know you care deeply for Tessa and as a farewell from her; she would like you to know that she cares deeply for you too. She wished you well and she believes that some good will come from this event. She will not live to see you die._

_As for you, Will, it was harder to get any information from Tessa about you. I know from the way you entered the Institute to save her that you love her. I saw it on your face when you saw her lying in the fountain. From the way Tessa has kept so quiet about you, I can tell you that she loves you too. It is a shame that you will never be together. Tessa may have been the one to change you._

_I hope that this letter has brought you comfort in knowing that any attempt to save her is now in vain._

_Yours Faithfully,_

_Mr Axel Mortmain_

Will let the letter drift to the ground as he fell on his knees. _I __have __lost __everything!_


End file.
